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Analysis Of Franklin 's ' The Great Gatsby ' By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay

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Benevolence Most people in today’s world are self-absorbed. It seems as if everything they do is in order to benefit themselves. In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin writes, “few people in public affairs act from a meer view of the the good of their country, yet men primarily considered that their own and their country’s interest was united, and did not act from a principle of benevolence” (73). In our society, businesses donate to charities to gain more customers, superstars fund organizations to improve their image, and students volunteer to improve their resumes. Most people ask “what is in it for me?” rather than “what can I do to improve this organization or person?” Throughout Franklin’s book, it became clear to me that he was acting on the principle of benevolence. He was constantly bettering society through his deeds with no regard to his own gain. Learning how Franklin ingrained benevolence into his daily life caused me to reflect on the benevolence present in my life. I realized that my mom is a primary example of benevolence. I also see that I lack the trait, but can work on it, and see that it can be displayed through small acts of kindness. Franklin’s acts of selflessness remind me of my mother. She is a prime example of a benevolent person because of the sacrifices she has made for my family. One of my brothers, Weston, is special needs. He is twenty-four years old, but he functions on the level of a four year old. Weston cannot go anywhere

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